Saturday, March 23, 2013

Don Dracula (ドン・ドラキュラ Don Dorakyura)

Don Dracula, (aka Earl Dracula) is a slapstick vampire serial by Japanese manga master Osamu Tezuka, the brilliant creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion, among others. Here we find everyone's favorite Transylvanian monster misplaced in NY city with not only his daughter Chocola and servant Igor, but also his castle-- and all the while unintentionally wrecking havoc everywhere he goes in search of virgin blood to drink. Hilariously original and fantastically illustrated of course, Don Dracula originated in the May 1979 issue of Weekly Shonen Champion Comics and ended in December of the same year. Don Dracula also spawned a short lived animated TV series (check youtube for all 8 episodes --now subtitled!) as well as a few later appearances in some other Tezuka manga series and video games. Below are scans from Don Dracula's very first appearance, presented in its original Japanese language format (easy to follow story even if you don't know Japanese, just remember to read right to left!) and padded out with a sampling of other various cool panel and page art from some of the other DD stories. If anyone wants to see a super great and very gory werewolf tale from this collection, let me know!

8 comments:

It's nice to see this Tezuka work, this was back before Manga (which is great) became it's own separate form which leaned in on itself to become more like itself (almost all forms of art, when branched, do this.)

Here, the Disney influence (and american super hero comics) is really evident. One of the masters of the form. The slap stick is obviously even without knowing the text, and the DotD elevator scene is done in a different style but instantly recognizable.

This man basically took some influences, combined them, and create a new and vibrant art form. One of the greats.

About Me

(aka Steve Banes) Editor / co-editor of IDW's Chilling Archives of Horror Comic Books: ZOMBIES, RETURN OF THE ZOMBIES, DEVIL TALES, and MUMMIES, as well as co-host of the bi-monthly HAUNTED HORROR comic series and HAUNTED LOVE miniseries. (All image scans and photography by me from items found in my own personal collection-- except where noted.)